Tony Barking Stark
by DarkFlameTailz
Summary: Tony is hit with something that gives him the mind of a dog.


Avengers: Tony Barking Stark

Long One-shot!

Hinted Tony/Steve & Tony/Bruce

Tony Barking Stark!

"Stark! You get a clear shot you take it!" Cap yelled though the intercom.

"Aye, aye captain." Ironman chirped mockingly in response. The city was being attacked by a mad man with a lazier gun, as of what the thing did they didn't know, all they did know was the crazy blue haired man was commanding a herd of animals; all of which were people's pets. From dog's to cat's and birds and mice; the man was having them steal and vandalize.

Reluctant to take out any of the pets the avengers just blocked as best they could aiming only for the man on top of a massive building.

Ironman came flying in firing his palm blasters. The crazed man smiled huge and blasted ironman with his lazier shacking him, but other wise unharmed. Getting back to speed he blasted again throwing the man into a wall.

"Target is down guys, get up here and take him in."

Clint was the first one there, but before he or ironman could grab him he pushed a button causing his lazier gun to self-destruct.

"Figures!" Ironman scoffed as the dust cleared and the man vanished.

"Can't there be one bad guy that doesn't have a self-destruct button?" Clint grumbled.

The trip back to the tower was uneventful, but the team did enjoy relaxing and a movie.

It was the following day where things got...well... beyond odd.

Steve woke up early like normal and showered before heading down to the gym to work out.

'I wonder if Tony would like to work out with me today?' it was a big secret of his, that he kinda liked, liked Tony. But he didn't want it to ruin the friendship they had so he left it be.

Walking to Tony's room he saw him laying in bed, the covers over top of him completely.

He reached out a hand to shake him awake. "Tony? Would you like to train with me today?"

There was no answer but the covers moved around a bit. "Tony?" he pulled back the blanket and saw the billernire curled up into himself-but in an odd way.

"Tony..." Steve touched his shoulder and this time Tony looked up. A smile spread on his face and suddenly he was up and pouncing on Steve...licking his face!

"TONY!" Steve yelped, the shock of it sending him to the ground. Tony just happily licked at his face as a dog would.

Pushing Tony away the playboy backed off a bit but was now sitting on all fours.

"What is up with you?" Tony just looked at him with his head titled slightly to the side, then he did the one thing that made Steve know something was wrong...beyond wrong!

He barked! Actually-truly Barked.

Steve bolted into the kitchen almost knocking Clint down.

"Woh! Where's the fire?" Clint asked.

"Fire? I was not aware of any flames in the tower." Thor said looking alarmed. Natasha patted him on the arm calming him.

"Tony! Something is wrong with Tony!" The Cap exclaimed panting as if he had ran a mile and a half.

Everyone looked at him worryingly, Bruce was the first to speak.

"Calm down Steve, what is wrong with him?"

"Ya, he was fine yesterday." Clint spoke up standing next to Banner.

Steve started to take deeper breaths to settle down enough before continuing. "I-I don't know what's wrong with him, he...he braked!"

Now they looked at him as if he was crazy. Well other then Clint who just started laughing. "Dude! Just because Stark's playing a prank on you doesn't mean-"

"It's not a prank!" Steve interrupted. "He-actually braked! And leaped up on me like a real dog! I'll show you-" he turned quickly heading back to Tony's room hoping he was still there.

Bruce and the others followed still not sure what to make of Steve's story, but weren't about to ignore him. After all, they were super hero's, they have all seen there share of oddest things.

However, this maybe-just maybe, took the cake. Upon entering the room, Steve was glad to see Tony was still there, but he kind a wished he would have taken him with him instead.

Tony was up on the bed, he feet tucked under him, laying on his belly, his arms holding him up-but that was just the pose he was in, what he was doing was something they never thought they would see the genus do. In-between his hands was his pillow, that he currently had in his mouth, shacking and tiring apart, fiber form was slowly leaking from the soft red pillow.

"Okay, I agree something's wrong!" Clint stated, now slightly panicked himself.

Tony snapped his head up noticing them and with a smile began to bark just like a happy pup.

"Bring him to the lab." Bruce said walking down the hall to get things set up.

Thor and Steve nodded. Thor was the first to reach Tony and put out a hand to lift him, but the moment his hand got close Tony began to growl and threatened to bite.

Concerned Thor pulled back and looked to Steve who approached Tony next. Seeing Tony stop growling he took that as a good sign and went to pick him up-but as his arms scooped under him Tony whined and jumped away landing on the floor on the other side of the bed where they stood.

"I don't think you should try to carry him." Natasha advised.

"Then how do we..?" Steve started but Thor seemed to understand.

"Anthony! Here boy!" The Asgarden bellowed. Tony looked at the other with an evil angry look and started to growl again.

Steve quickly understood, "Tony!" the other stopped and looked to Steve, his face relaxing. "Come here Tony."

Tony smiled and leaped up on Steve, this time Steve was ready though so was able to stay standing as Tony put his hands on his chest and tried to reach his face to lick it, his knees slightly bent, but enough to keep him from being his full height.

Steve got Tony down and walked out the door. "Tony come boy." and he did, Tony followed Steve down to Bruce's lab, the others trailing behind incase Tony got any ideas to take off.

Once in the lab Bruce patted the examining table he had set up for Steve to place Tony on it. It took a while, but Steve managed to get Tony up and stay.

Sticking out his tongue Tony began to pant as a real dog would when hot.

"I'll run a few tests." Banner explained typing a few things into his computer.

"I think I should stay here, he may try to bite you like he did Thor." Steve reasoned. Bruce put a hand on Tony's back without so much as a twitch from the other.

"He seems fine with me." he smiled a bit. Steve had to lie to himself if he said that didn't make him even a little joules, he was starting to think Tony only liked him. "Okay then, I'll leave you to it then." he smiled weakly and left with the others.

Steve couldn't stop himself from pacing. What was wrong with Tony? Why was he now a dog? What was Bruce doing?

"Steve, settle down." Natasha said placing her hand on his shoulder. "Bruce knows what he's doing...Tony will be fine." she smiled calmly at him to ease him up.

He ran a hand through his blond hair, "I know, your right. I'm sorry."

Bruce picked that time to walk out, Tony hot on his heels. It was a sight no one would get use to, Tony walking on all fours, or more crawling really.

Steve walked over to him and Tony immediately smiled and jumped up on him.

"What's the damage doc? And can it be fixed?" Clint asked walking over.

Bruce smiled for a moment before sighing. "Well, I took some samples from Tony's armor and him. It appears whatever he was hit with, his armor only protected him so much. If it didn't we would be looking at a real Cocker Spaniel, instead of hearing one." he explained.

Steve's widened at that. "Cocker Spaniel?"

Bruce nodded curtly, "JARVIS ran some of his barking patterns and the results came back as him being an American Cocker Spaniel breed. However thanks to his armor the full transformation didn't take effect."

"So let me get this straight." Clint cut in. "If he wasn't wearing his armor and he was hit by, what even that crazed man had, he would be a real dog?" Bruce nodded.

"Well what do we do about him now?" Natasha asked.

Steve felt tears trying to form, did this mean Tony's mind was fully gone? The Tony he had taken so long to get use to and eventually fell for? That smart mouth sarcasm, lighting up the mood when it was gloom, all the pointless bickering. He wasn't sure how he could deal with this.

Bruce went on. "But there is some good news. A small part of Tony is still in there. He knows his name both Tony and Stark, and will respond, and ignores anything else. He growls if you call him by his full name though." he laughed slightly. "And his still as stubborn as ever-hates to be manhandled, he takes basic commands well though. Can get him to sit, stay, even fetch."

Steve looked down at Tony and sat down to be his eye level. Tony immediately took advantaged and licked his face.

"Ah, there is one last thing." Bruce said facing Steve and Tony. Steve looked at him questioningly. "He thinks your his owner."

-

And so Steve found his life change just that much more. Tony would almost never leave his side other then to eat or if something shiny got his attention.

It was a task getting use to Tony as we was. Steve couldn't get over the fact he had to, twice!, stop Tony from licking or eating something dangerous; such as a nail laying on the floor, the other being Natasha's gun.

If it was on the floor Tony had the idea it was his to eat, Steve blamed Clint for that; the archer was cooking lunch and Tony was sitting at his feet clearly begging and Clint just 'casually' dropping food on the floor.

"Will Stark be this way forever?" Asked a worried Thor. Bruce was sitting at the table reading something on Tony's tablet. He took off his glasses and played with them a moment.

"I-I'm not sure...I haven't found anything, however I have a hypotheses-if Tony still has a small part of him in there-there is a chance he can be cured."

Thor looked at him with confusion, but after hearing the word 'cured' he smiled and patted him on the back. "Excellent then." he smiled and went back to watch TV, Bruce suspected his retreat was just to hide the fact he didn't fully understand what he had just said. That was something Bruce was going to miss too, his science bro. Which was why he was messing with Tony's tablet hoping he could find a cure.

Steve was responsible for Tony, seeing as he thought he was his dog. There were only two people Tony would let manhandle him even if he did whine and squirm. Steve and Bruce, everyone else he growled at or bit.

Clint could only get near Tony if he first gave him food, Natasha was growled at and moved away from; even with the mind of a dog he was scared of her.

Thor was free to be near him as long as he didn't try to pick him up or hug him. Thor was playing with Tony he was tugging on a plain white T-shirt while Tony tugged the other side in his mouth. After winning two rounds, which Thor let him win obviously, Thor got excited and tried to hug Tony, he was bit on the arm hard enough to leave teeth marks-he hasn't tried that again since.

The gang was sitting on the couch watching a movie, one Tony liked, even if now he wasn't interested in it. Steve had his feet propped up on the coffee table and Tony was resting on the floor right under his legs. Clint was next to him eating popcorn, now and then he would toss a piece at Tony who would in turn lap it up and allow Clint to rubbing his back, even if happened to be his foot.

Pepper had been out on a meeting for a few days, and had just arrived back at the tower. Walking in the air itself ran for cover.

"Tony!" she snapped pissed. "I have been calling you for the past-" Tony perked up began barking wildly at her, but not in a mean aggressive way, this bark was excitement.

She just about had a heart attack seeing AND hearing him.

Tony jumped up on her.

It took her a while to find her voice. "W-what happened to him?"

Bruce fiddled with his hands, Natasha and Clint magically vanished, Thor was still engulfed in the movie and Steve was holding Tony at bay after prying him off her.

"We meant to call you." Bruce confessed.

"We just didn't what to worry you while you were in an important meeting." Steve came to his rescue.

Bruce smiled at him as a thanks and cleared his throat. "Tony got hit with something after our last mission...and well, his brain is that of a dog."

Pepper looked down at the happy, panting, barking thing Tony had become. She covered her mouth as tears started. "Oh Tony." she soothed and hugged him, Tony let her and even licked her face as he normally did to Steve.

At least Tony knew who Pepper was and still loved her.

0o0o0o

Tony began sleeping in Steve's room, right on top of his stomach, his head resting on his chest. This was maybe the only time Steve didn't mind what position he was in, Tony was with him. He gently ran his hand through the burnets hair, enjoying the feel of it. At this time he was able to just pretend Tony was normal and the two of them were happily together. But by morning the dream was gone and replaced with the fact Tony wasn't Tony.

Waking up Tony was feel him move and wake up himself looking at him and giving a good morning bark.

"Hey Tony." he smiled and petted his head. He slowly got fully out of bed and stretched, Tony following suit, stretching on the bed with his arms out in front of him and back arched.

Steve padded to the bathroom and then realized something, Tony hadn't been bathed for almost four days now! Not liking the option he knew it had to be him.

"Come on Tony, in." he said, Tony obeyed walking into the room as Steve shut the door. Running the water he filled the tube lifted Tony into it after manhandling him out of his night clothes. Once hitting the warm water Tony gave a loud whine and squirmed to get out.

"Ahw...ahwahwawh..." he cried as Steve fought to keep him in the tube.

"Shh..Tony, Tony, stop! Settle down, come on boy, Stay."

After some time Tony stopped fighting and stayed still as Steve washed him, as Steve started washing his hair he couldn't help but notice Tony violently shacking.

"What's wrong boy?" he cupped his face sweetly looking into his eyes. Tony just whimpered and whined slightly. "It's ok Tony...shh...its ok." Steve rinsed him off and wrapped him in a towel drying him well. Getting his clothes back on was another task altogether...

Steve walked out into the living room with the others while Tony followed behind. He looked over at Bruce who shook his head, for almost a week now Steve and Bruce devolved a Ilook/I that gave a simple question and answer. 'Find a cure yet?' 'no'

Steve sat down pouring himself some cercal, he would then pour some for Tony with milk and place it on the floor where he eagerly lapped it up.

"You don't suppose he'll be like this forever...do you?" Steve asked weakly. Banner shrugged, but his face said, 'No, I wont let that happen.'

Tony was licking the bowl clean and Steve only noticed then it hit his ankle. He picked it up to refill it and put it back down. Tony even had the appetite of a dog and it was hard for Steve to deny him food even when he knew he had to for Tony's owe good.

"Hey." Everyone looked seeing Natasha walk in, in her hand she held something long and green.

"Hi, what's that?" Steve questioned. Natasha held it up almost proudly. "Since I doubt anyone is willing to touch Tony's mouth, his teeth need a good cleaning-he is starting to really reek. So I got him some dog mint bones."

Steve narrowed his eyes, "His not a dog, he just needs to hold still longer while I brush his teeth."

"And how is that working out for you?" Steve lowered his gaze. "Umhm, just as I thought-here." she tossed them at him. "Give him one, see how he likes it."

Steve hesitated but as he opened the bag Tony was suddenly in his lap seeing what it was. He began sniffing the bag and Steve couldn't help but laugh. "Okay ok, here." he handed Tony one and within a second Tony grabbed it and ran off to the corner of the room chewing it.

"See he likes it." Natasha smirked. Bruce raised an eye-brow, he had a feeling she was just getting revenge since Tony wouldn't let her near him enough to pet him.

"You'll thank me later." she waved and left.

The team was happy for no more threats not one of them alone couldn't handle. Steve had found himself alone most days taking care of Tony. Not that he was compiling-it just would have been nice if Tony was...well-Tony.

Even if Tony had a dog's mind Steve refused to let his use anything other then the toilet-sure it was a bit of a hard task but Tony was able to come and go as he pleased without someone needing to watch him so he didn't drink from the porcelain bowl, or play in the trash.

Taking him for a run was out of the question, but the gym worked wonders. Steve would be down there punching his bag while Tony ran and played with his gold and red bouncy ball Clint bought him. Sometimes playing with it alone or with another member of the team-even Natasha was able to play a bit of fetch with him without him tiptoeing around.

Slowly everyone had become use to Tony, sure it was something they never would really get use to, but at least everyone other then Steve was taking more care of him. Thor would cook him something easy like poptarts and put them on a plate for him, Clint started to try and get him to eat at the table since he was the one to get him to start eating off the floor without realizing. Natasha was even able to groom him without him growling or running. She trimmed his beard and cut his shaggy hair. Steve was still giving him baths which he got use to and started looking forward to. At least Steve no longer had to fight with him with it.

And when Bruce wasn't looking for a cure he was relaxing on the couch with Tony flopped in his lap, or just tossing a ball around.

After a mouth though they were getting desperate.

"I'm afraid there's no cure." Bruce said bitterly at his own words. He felt he was letting one of his best friends down, a feeling he was all to familiar with-and in a since he was.

"So...what do we do?" Pepper asked, she had stopped by to talk about Tony's condition and about his company.

"I don't know...I've done everything I can." he spoke weakly.

Pepper looked down at Tony who was curled up next to her, his head on her lap. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. The board is getting tired and wants to see Tony before they just deice shut down his line of products and slowly watch him go bankrupted." she frowned.

"I wish I could do something." he said softly.

Pepper nodded, "I know Bruce, you've done all you can."

o0o0o

Steve was fast asleep when the alarm went off. Groaning he quickly got up, Tony had jumped off the bed at the sound. "Avengers Assemble!" He called threw his com next to his bed. "Tony stay." he commanded. Tony watched him run off.

While gone Tony enjoyed the house to himself.

Steve, Thor, Clint, Natasha, and Bruce walked in exhausted. The city had become in danger by huge bugs, some man calling himself Ant-Man was to blame-luckily Steve had reasoned with the man and was now in HQ fixing the mess he made.

Steve got ready to call for Tony when his eyes widened. As did the others.

Tony sat in the middle of the room paper all around him, both ripped and crumpled. A lamp was knocked over and smashed to the ground, the table next to it tipped, and Tony asleep in the pile of what looked to be Bruce's blue prints.

Steve vaguely realized this was the first time in a mouth Tony had been left completely alone.

Clint cursed. "He better not have touched my room-I personally shoot an arrow at his head." he growled.

"He can't be doing this every time we have a mission." Natasha looked to Steve, "I know you don't want to, but he does see you has his owner."

Steve nodded, this was the first time he would have to really punish Tony. And he just knew he would die a little inside at it.

Going into his Cap mode to make the task just a little easier he marched over to Tony.

Grabbing a rolled up newspaper near by he wacked Tony hard in the ass with it. "Bad boy!" he snapped waking the sleeping human-dog.

Tony jerked and rolled over quickly as to protect his butt and snapped before Steve was even able to make another blow.

"What the hell Steve!"

Mid-strike Steve froze. "Tony?"

"Who'd you think I was? Damn even with a newspaper your blows hurt like hell." he said as he rubbed at his back side.

Tony suddenly found himself lifted up into a hug. "Tony! I missed you." Steve said.

"Did you now?" Tony mocked trying to breath.

Steve put him down, blushing, "I mean-meant, we...we missed you." he tried correcting.

"Where was I?" he questioned looking at them.

Bruce smiled, "Your body was here, just not your mind."

Tony looked even more confused. "You we're a dog Stark." Thor boomed. "And you believed the dear Captain was your owner." ah Thor, he had no modesty for others.

Tony blushed now and looked at Steve. Steve smiled back, "Sorry...about hitting you that is...I thought-I.."

Tony waved him off, "Understandable. Though it explains the sudden sickness I felt. I didn't know where I was, and knocked over the lamp and tripping the table. After I come too I tried to find the problem so dug out all of Dr. Banners notes." He grinned. "I already had a good idea what happened to me by these before I fell asleep. I feel like I have been waking up every day a 4am."

Steve looked away, that's exactly what time he had been getting up.

"We're just glad your back to normal." Bruce said.

"And no one more then Steve." Clint added. Tony saw Steve's face redden.

Grinning he pushed into Steve's arms. "Is that true?" Steve nodded slowly.

"I'm happy to be back too." Steve looked down and him and kissed him...Tony kissed back.

"Maybe we can start this owner and pet thing differently this time." he winked.

Steve really couldn't remember the last time he felt he would combust.


End file.
